Combination chair and table



S. F. GARDNER Dec. 9, 1952 June 9, 1951 INVENTOR. SZezz/ariflardmr BY W I Dec. 9, 1952 s. F. GARDNER 2,620,856

COMBINATION CHAIR AND TABLE Filed June 9, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Sizzlarifj'brdnex Dec 9, 1952 s. F. GARDNER 2,620,856

' COMBINATION CHAIR AND TABLE Filed June 9, 1951 .5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fi .481: K

Patented Dec. 9 1952 COMBINATION CHAIR AND TABLE Stewart F. Gardner, Bristol, Ind.

Application June 9, 1951, Serial No. 230,745

4 Claims.

My invention is concerned with a new and improved chair and more particularly with the structure for a chair which may have several elements thereof rearranged to form a table suitable for dining purposes or the like.

Briefly, my invention is especially designed to meet the problem of compactness necessitated by space limitations prevalent in an ordinary house trailer or the like. It is well recognized that in a house trailer the utilization of available space becomes paramount and that as a consequence the more compact and yet functional the furnishings therein, the more efiectively may the available space be utilized. With this purpose in mind I have designed and constructed a new and improved compact chair structure that is convertible readily into a table suitable for dining purposes.

Of the many objects of my invention the foremost is that of teaching the features of construction and operation of my new and improved chair structure whereby a compact and sturdy chair suitable for reclining purposes is also convertible into a dining table or the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved combination chair and table in which the extensible elements of the table may be folded and housed within the back portion of the chair, the seat of the chair may be positioned to serve as one of the primary support elements for the table top and extension leaves for the table may be stored beneath the chair seat when the latter is in its normal position for use'as a seat.

Still another object of my invention is to disclose a new and improved structure for a convertible chair and table whereby a maximum amount of foot room is obtainable to the using personnel when my structure is utilized in its table form.

The above and further objects and features will be recognized by one familiar with the art from the following description of my invention and as particularly displayed in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a frontal perspective view of my structure displaying its assembled appearance as a chair;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of my chair shown in Figure 1 displaying the association of the extensible table top therewith;

Figure 3 is another frontal perspective view, similar to Figure 2, demonstrating the chair in its unfolded position ready to make up into a table and showing the means for housing a plurality of extension leaf elements for the table top beneath the seat as illustrated in dotted lines therein;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the chair shown in Figures 1 through 3 demonstrating the table top structure and its housing association with the back of my chair and also demonstrating the extensible construction of the table top structure;

Figure 5 is a partial top plan cross sectional View looking downwardly at the extensible top structure substantially as indicated by arrows along line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is another frontal perspective view similar to Figure 3 but showing the extensible top in its extended position as it is unhoused from the back of my chair and swung toward a horizontal position ready for use as a table top;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of my chair with the table top thereof unhoused and positioned ready for the reception therein of a plurality of table top leaf elements;

Figure 8 is another top plan view similar to Figure '7 but demonstrating the positioning of the extensible top and the combination therewith of the extensible leaf elements when such are assembled for use as a table top; and

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of my chair as it appears in its fully converted condition for use as a table.

Turning now to the specific features of construction and operation of my combined chair and table as particularly illustrated in Figures 1 through 3 of the drawings, it will be recognized that such comprises in workable combination several basic elements consisting generally of an undercarriage Iii, a'chair seat structure H, a chair back structure I2, an extensible table top structure l3 and a plurality of table extension leaves l4.

The undercarriage as illustrated in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7, consists in general of an elongated channel or Cbar 20 which is combined with a pair of shorter channel bars 2| to form a suitable X framing. Bars 2l2l are securely fastened at one end as by welding in abutting relation with the side walls of the channel bar 20 at a point about midway between the length of the latter and on opposite sides thereof, as illustrated clearly in Figures 3 and '7. End bars 22 and 23 are rigidly tied in between the outer ends of X framebars 20, 2i, 2| as by welding to form a rigid X frame structure. Suitable ground engaging legs 24 made of tubular metal are positioned in a downward angular depending relation at the four corners of the X frame, such being secured thereto in a sturdy manner as by welding thereby to provide a rigid prefabricated undercarriage for my chair structure.

I have found that the X frame just described is particularly adapted for my structure when such is utilized as a table since it gives rigid support and static stability thereto and provides maximum foot room in between the several X bars to persons sitting along the sides of the table, as will be recognized from later descriptive material herein. The chair seat II is substantially rectangular in shape and formed basically of wood side wall members 21, 21, a front wall 28 and a rear wall 29, all rigidly tied together to form a box-like frame. The upper side of the box frame for the seat structure II is suitably provided with a cushion, indicated generally at 39 which is supported by a plurality of spring elements 3!, as seen in Figure 3, to provide a sturdy cushion structure which is conventional in the upholstery art. An outer covering of leatherette or other suitable upholstery fabric is provided exteriorly of the cushion 30 and the' several wall elements of the seat framing. to enhance the exterior appearance of the seat as desired. The chair seat His fastened by suitable hinge means 33 to the endbar 22 of the X frame whereby the seat is adapted for arcuate movement about bar 22 as ahorizontal axis therefor; hinges 33 being connected between bar 22 and the lower edge of front wall 28 of the seat box frame structure.

Placed inwardly of front wa1l;28 and adjacent the inside face of seat cushion 39;, as illustrated in Figure 3, is a woodenstringermcmber 34 for use in maintaining the extension table top leaf elements I4 in their, storage position on top of the X frame as will appear later herein.

As viewed in Figures 4, and 'I-thechair back structure I2 is composed essentiallyof a pair of vertically positioned. side wall members J1,

3T which'are held in parallel spaced relation at their upper ends and lower ends by spacer bars 38 and 39 respectively. The side walls 31 and spacer bars 38 'and39are preferably of wood and are so arranged in rigid combination as to formulate a substantially rectangular shaped box structure with the spacer bars being placed adjacent the 'forwardside of the back IZ in between the leading edges, of wall members 3'! thereof. outwardly of spacer bars 38 and 39, and covering over, the face of the seat back structure, a suitable cushion structure 40 vmay be arranged in a mannerconventional to the upholstery art with an'exterior leatherette or other upholstering fabric covering and enclosing the side walls 31 and cushion structure 40 to enhance the exterior apperance of the chair back. The seat structure I l similarly may be covered. It will be recognized that the lower'endof chair back 12 is mounted directly to the X frame of the undercarriage loin a position slightly inclined from the vertical. As hereinshown, the X frame end bar 23 extends inside and between the lower ends of sidewalls 31 of the chair back, and suitable notches .(not illustrated). are formed in the lower spacer bar 1 39'for the reception therethrough of'bar 20 and one of the bars 4 ing the X frame to the lower spacer bar 39 and the chair back side walls 31.

As seen in Figures 3 through 6 of the drawings, my table top [3 is connectively associated with the chair back [2. The extensible portion of my table top l3 comprises in part a pair of planar end table top leaf elements 45 and 48, as seen in Figure 3; such being mounted across the open back face of the chair back structure I2 when my assembly is utilized as a chair. Associated in transverse relation to one end leaf element 45 and rigidly connected thereto is a cover plate 4! comprising a substantially rectangular wooden member of a width and length sufficient to cover the top end of the seat back I2 the plate 4'! being fastened as by nails or the like along one edge to end leaf member 45 and having a padded exterior facing of a like material with the seat and back structures H and [2 to enhance the esthetic appearance of the chair. It will be recognized from Figure 3, that when the two leaf elements 45 and 46 and the cover plate member 41 are mounted in their retracted condition with the chair back l2, they cooperate with the chair back structure, heretofore described, so as to cover the open back and top sides thereof. It further will be recognized, from Figures 4, 5 and 6, that the two leaf elements 45 and 46 are slidably associated for relative movement with. one another so as to provide extensibility to my table top 13. To accomplish this latter feature, I have provided a plurality of slidingly associated ex,- tension bars such as are indicated at 48, 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, 48c, and 49, 49a, 49b, 49c, 49d, and 49e. It will be seen, especially from Figures 4 and 8 of the drawings, thatextension bars 48 and 49 are rigidly secured at one end toend leaf element 46 while extension bars 48a, and 49a are similarly rigidly associated with end leaf 45.

of the table top structure 13. The several extension bar members 48a, b, c, and d, and, 49a, 1), c and d. are positioned in parallel adjacent cascaded relationintermediate their respective two associated extension bars 48, 43c, and 49, 49c. Further it willbe recognized that thesliding extensible structure, utilizedherein for my table top [3 is aconventionaljone, with each of the extension bars, except for. bars 48,. 48e, 49 and 496, being provided, along its opposite sides, with longitudinally extended tongue grooves 50, 50, The bars 48, 48c, 49 and 496 are each provided with only one such groove 50 along their inwardly facing sides. Short tongue blocks 5|, 5| are glued or otherwise fastened in such grooves 59 adjacent diagonally opposed ends of the extension bars so that a mating tongue and groove connection is established between, adjacent extension bars. In extending the sliding table top structure so formulated, the tongue blocks 5|, disposed in adjacent or opposed grooves 59 of adjacentextension. bars,.abut one. another to preventsliding vdisengagement of, the several related extension bars. Pins 52 arev also provided in each groove 50 at the opposite end thereof from the one in which a tongue blocklilv is mounted to likewise prevent disengagement of related extension bars when the'extensible table top structure is retracted to its closed condition. To provide means for accurately maintaining the spacing between extension bars 48..and, 49 and.

to enhance the rigid structure for .my extensible table top I3, I have further utilized a cross connecting bar 53 extending transversely between the two bars 48.and 49. and rigidly associated therewith. Bar 53 serves the additional function of providing a connective surface for a pair of leaf hinges 54, 54 which are also connected to one face of the upper spacer bar 38 associated with the chair back structure as heretofore described. By virtue of this arrangement, the table topstructure I3 of my invention may be drawn upwardly from its completely retracted condition with respect to the chair back structure I2, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, the end leaf 45 separated slidingly away from the opposite end leaf element 46 (by virtue of the intervening sliding structure provided by the plurality of extension bars 48 through 483 and 49 through 49c) and the entire top structure I3 swung arcuately about the upper spacer bar 38 of the chair back structure, as shown in Figure 6, to be brought to rest in a horizontal extended position to provide a dining table top as illustrated in Figure 7.

Further, it will recognized that with the extension of my table top I3 and the arcuate movement thereof to a horizontal dining position, as illustrated in Figures '7 and 9, of the drawings, it is necessary to swing the chair seat II upwardly from its normal chair forming position, so that it is brought to a substantially vertical position, as seen in Figure 6 of the drawings, to provide a vertical support for one end of the table top I3. It is then obvious that with the table top I3 extended and swung about the upper spacer bar 38 of the chair back structure I2 by means of the hinges 54, such will eventually lie in its horizontal position across the upper ends of the chair seat II and chair back I2. Upon the raising of the chair seat II to a vertical position as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 of the drawings, a plurality of extension leaf elements I4, herein illustrated as three in number, will be revealed; such conveniently being housed in the cavity formed underneath the cushion portion 30 of the chair seat I I inside of the box frame structure. In this connection, the several leaves I4 normally rest on top of the X frame of the undercarriage, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings, with the seat stringer bar 34 serving to hold them tightly against the X frame when the chair seat is closed thereover. The leaf elements I4 are utilized, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, to complete the planar surface of the table top, such being interlockingly engaged by means of suitable dowel pins 55 and apertures formed in associated edges of adjacent leaves for the reception of such dowel pins, all in a conventional manner.

Having thus described the various elements and their operational association in the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that several modifications, alterations and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and sense of my invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the specific features illustrated and described herein except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a combination chair and table structure, an undercarriage having a plurality of spaced apart, downwardly extending, ground engaging legs and an interconnecting X framing rigidly tying said legs together, an upholstered seat structure hingedly connected at one lower edge to the forward edge of said X frame for vertical arcuate movement about the latter, an upholstered chair back structure mounted substantially vertically upright over the rearward edge of said X frame, said chair back having an open upper end and back side, and an extensible table top structure hingedly connected to said chair backs pper endfor arcuate movement thereabout, said table top closing said open upper end and back side of said chair back when in a non-extended and substantially vertical position.

2. In a combination chair and table structur an undercarriage having a plurality of spaced apart, ground engaging legs interconnected by a horizontal X framing, an upholstered seat structure hingedly connected at one lower edge to the forward edge of said X framing and arcuately movable thereabout from a horizontal to a substantially vertical upright position, an upholstered chair back structure mounted substantially vertically upright over the rearward edge of said X frame and rigidly secured to the latter, said chair back having an open upper end and back side, and an extensible table top structure hingedly connected intermediate its length to said chair backs' upper end for arcuate movement thereabout from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position, said table top closing said open upper-end andback side of said chair back when in a substantially vertical non-extended condition, and said table top being longitudinally extensible when arcuately moved from said vertical position to said substantially horizontal position whereby said top structure overlies the upper ends of said chair back and chair seat; said chair seat being arcuately movable upward to said vertical position to support said table top in its horizontal position.

3. A combination chair and table structure of the class described, comprising in combination, an undercarriage having four ground engaging leg members each dependingly positioned at the four corners of an interconnecting X frame thereof, a cushion top seat structure mounted over said X frame and having hinged connection along one side thereof with one side of said X frame whereby said seat is arcuately movable into a. substantially vertically extending position and transversely disposed with respect to said frame, said seat being characterized by an open bottom. cavity on its underside for encasing a plurality of table top extension leaf members removably positioned on the top of said X frame, a cushion fronted chair back structure positioned substantially in a vertical upright position at one side of said frame and extending upwardly therefrom, said chair back being rigidly connected at its lower end to said X frame and having an open upper end and back side communicating with a hollow interior thereof, and an extensible table top structure pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the upper end of said chair back for arcuate movement about a horizontal axis from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position, said top structure including a pair of slidingly movable coplanar end leaf elements interconnected by a plurality of slidingly mating extension members, one of said end leaf members having a perpendicularly positioned plate member mounted along one edge thereof, said table top having a normal retracted position wherein said two end leaf elements have adjacent edges in abutting relation and removably are positioned transversely across the open back side of said chair back with said plate associated with one leaf member serving to close said chair backs open upper end, and said table top alternately having a normally extended position wherein said two end leaves are laterally separated with s'ald extension members interconnectingly arranged therebetween and extending across the upper ends of said chair back and seat when the latter is Positioned in its upright position the plurality of extension leaf members normally housed beneath said seat being mounted in coplanar relation intermediate said end leaf elements and resting on said extension members to present a coplanar table top surface.

4. A convertible chair and table structure for use in a house trailer or the like, comprising in combination, a ground engaging undercarriage having a frame structure supported in an elevated horizontal position by a plurality of dependingly associated ground engaging leg mem-: bers, a chair seat structure horizontally mounted on top of said frame, pivotal means interconnecting one edge of said seat structure with the forward edge of said frame whereby said seat is selectively disposable in a horizontal position or a vertical position, a chair back structure, having a hollow interior and an open upper end and backside, mounted on the rearward edge of said frame so as to extend vertically upwardly therefrom, an extensible tabletop structure having a pair of coplanar end leaf elements and a plate 8 member perpendicularly mounted along one edge of one of said end leaf elements, 'said leaf elements being arranged for coplanar relative movement toward and away from one another, and pivotal means connecting said table top structure with the upper end of said chair back whereby said table top is selectively disposable in a vertical position to close the open upper end and backside of said chair back and in a horizontal position wherein such may be extended to overlie and rest on the upper ends of said chair back and said chair seat when the latter is moved into its said vertical position.

STEWART F. GARDNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 342,3 l3 Farrell May 25, 1886 1,359,723 Mohammed Nov. 23, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 510,614 Germany Feb. 18, 1932 

